Leland Phillips

Published: Sunday, June 04, 2000

ABERNATHY (Special) Services for Leland Phillips, 86, of Abernathy will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Abernathy First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dennis Teeters, pastor of Lamesa First Baptist Church, the Rev. Mike Wilcox, pastor, and the Rev. Gene Hawkins, interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clovis, N.M., officiating.

Burial will follow in the Abernathy Cemetery under the direction of Abell Funeral Home of Abernathy.

He died Friday, June 2, 2000, in Lubbock's Covenant Medical Center.

He was born Jan. 15, 1914, in Peaster. He graduated from Odell High School in 1931, where he was active in basketball and baseball. He married Annie Thomas on Nov. 19, 1932, in Odell. He was a farmer in the Odell community and was employed for the Odell Co-op Gin and Vernon Co-op Gin before moving to Abernathy in 1951 to become manager of the Abernathy Co-op Gin, a position he held until his retirement in 1989.

He was active in the cooperative associations serving on the board and executive committee of the Farmers Cooperative Compress in Lubbock. He also served on the boards of the Plains Co-op Oil Mill and Plains Cotton Cooperative Association. He served as president of the Texas Cooperative Ginners Association, president of the Plains Ginners Association and board of the Texas Ginners Association. He was honored as Texas Ginner of the Year in 1963 and Cooperator of the Year in 1977 by the Texas Cooperative Association.

He served as president of the Abernathy Chamber of Commerce and the Abernathy Lions Club, where he was currently serving as secretary/treasurer. He was active in promoting youth for agriculture and was named honorary member of the Abernathy FFA Chapter. He had served as election judge for the Abernathy school and was a member of the Masonic Lodge for more than 60 years. He was named Abernathy Citizen of the Year in 1976. He was a member of the Abernathy First Baptist Church and was ordained as deacon in 1937, and served as trustee, teacher and usher.

Survivors include his wife; a son Jerry A. Phillips of Lubbock and formerly of Abilene.

The family suggests memorials be sent to the First Baptist Church, building fund or to a favorite charity.